Adaptation under the UNFCCC national communications process/ linkages with AIACC AIACC Latin America/Caribbean Regional Workshop May 2003 San Jose, Costa Rica Martha Perdomo UNFCCC secretariat

1.New guidelines 2.Information from initial national communications 3.Relevance of AIACC to the second national communication process 4.Opportunities and challenges for AIACC and the national communication process 5.Second phase of AIACC Outline

Summary of guidelines Old guidelines (decision 10/CP.2) New guidelines (decision 17/CP.8) Objectives National circumstances National circumstances Inventory of emissions/removals National GHG inventory General description of steps General description of steps – programmes containing measures to facilitate adequate adaptation – programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change Other information Other information – transfer of technologies (4/CP.7) – research and systematic observation (5/CP.5) – education, training and public awareness (Article 6) – capacity-building (2/CP.7) – information and networking Financial and technological Constraints and gaps needs and constraints

New guidelines (decision 17/CP.8) PART IV – GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF STEPS TAKEN OR ENVISAGED TO IMPLEMENT THE CONVENTION Non-Annex I Parties “MAY provide information on programmes containing measures to mitigate climate change … and measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to CC, following the provisions of these guidelines” Each Party SHALL provide information on “programmes containing measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to climes change.”

NAI Parties “should provide information on their vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change, and on adaptation measures …” NAI Parties may use appropriate methodologies they consider better able to reflect their national situation. New guidelines (decision 17/CP.8) (cont.)

References –IPCC Technical Guidelines for Assessing Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations (Carter, T.R., M.L. Parry, H. Harasawa, S. Nishioka 1994) –UNEP Handbook on Methods for Climate Change Impact Assessment and Adaptation Strategies (Feenstra, J.F., I. Burton, J.B. Smith, R.S.J. Tol 1998) –International Handbook on Vulnerability and Adaptation Assessments (Benioff, R., S. Guill, J. Lee 1996) –Compendium of Decision Tools to Evaluate Strategies for Adaptation to Climate Change which is available from the UNFCCC web site,

Reporting Scope, including identification of most critical vulnerable areas Description of methodologies and tools Evaluation of strategies and measures for adapting in key areas of the “highest priority” Policy framework, plans and policies for developing and implementing adaptation strategies and measures

Reporting (cont.) Research relating to programmes containing measures to facilitate adequate adaptation Capacity-building activities for integrating adaptation to climate change into medium and long-term planning Opportunities for the implementation of adaptation measures, pilot and/or demonstration adaptation projects, including barriers

National communications submitted by regions 88% 62% 60% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Latin America and the Caribbean Asia and the Pacific AfricaEurope Regions Share of Parties in the regions that have submitted (32/52) (33/53) (6/10) (29/33)

Example of information reported in national communications Tools Costa Rica El Salvador GuatemalaHondurasNicaraguaPanama GCMs Magicc/ Scengen SLR DSSAT/ IBSNAT 1 CLIRUN 2 1 Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer/ International Benchmark Sites Network for Agrotechnology Transfer 2 Climate-runoff model

Information from initial national communications on vulnerability and adaptations assessment Difficulties in applying the current methodologies Limited information on extreme events and their relation to CC Difficulties in dissociating impacts from CC and from climate variability Limitations of climate change and socio- economic scenarios Lack of impact models for some sectors

Information from initial national communications … (cont.) Need for new tools for integrated assessment, policy development and decision support Need for assistance for disaster preparedness Need for integration of adaptation in long term planning Need for adaptation at a regional or sub- regional level

Relevance of AIACC to the second national communication process To provide further understanding of the impacts of climate change To introduce new approaches/methods/tools To enhance the linkages between scientists and policy makers To highlight the vulnerabilities of developing countries To analyze the best options for adaptation To build capacity

Opportunities and challenges for AIACC and the national communication process Provide methodologies and models for assessment of impacts and vulnerability Develop methods for identifying, evaluating and prioritizing adaptation strategies Develop new methods/tools to facilitate integrated assessments Propose pilot adaptation projects Dissemination of information

Second phase of AIACC Follow-up of the needs and gaps identified in Initial National Communications Follow-up of adaptation information in INC Moving forward issues for the IPCC 4AR Project focus for AIACC second phase?